WWilts

FMB BuildAssure is the only policy which includes protection vs insolvency / default of the builder (if they are members of the FMB as our builder is). Build Assure cover includes 10 year structural warranty. However, they do not seem to be open to writing new policies at the moment.

New build, main contractor. Interested in protection against builder going bust or dropping dead halfway through, owing us money. Insolvency protection insurance. Any suggestions/recommendations for providers/ agents etc? Good experiences / bad experiences re insurance providers? PS We plan to have CML certificate, no structural warranty.

If I say the second phase is for the property itself, not just for future car charging, will that push the price up a lot? And will it bring benefits?

SSE granted us 46 kVA new connection. With 25m of cable included in price. Remaining distance to nearest point of new build is about 13 m. Now an electrician asked, " Was the second phase specifically for car charging in the future or for the new property itself?" This must have pricing implications for his work. "Estimate worked out as price per point". Apart from car chargers (to be installed eventually), we have no need for any extraordinary power. No MVHR or ASHP etc. Would like to keep prices low without sacrificing any important or useful benefits What should I tell him? (PS I know less than anyone about electricity)

LA building control. Exempt, and they will not issue completion certificate

Garage demolition, side porch to replace it. Small, Building Regs exempt. Design fixed by planner. Existing external walls of main dwelling will form 2 (internal) sides of the porch. Currently garage has a double skin wall (outer stone, inner brick). Concrete floor. About 550mm below main dwelling floor level. Can the existing foundations for the front elevation be retained and used? What would determine whether or not? Any particular approach recommended to join the side wall securely to the existing external side wall? If retaining the existing concrete slab, what layers would you use to build it up by about 275mm? Then it will be level with an existing step that leads from main dwelling down to existing garage floor.

Not commenced build, but have a date for electric supply new connection to the planned house. Will be electric supply for builder, to begin with. SSE write "Please can you confirm the postal address for the new property so I can request the mpan. This is the reference that you will require for your meter to be installed." Many here advise getting a SMETS2 smart meter. Can a SMETS2 meter be installed on a bare plot? Or does it have to wait for a building (not yet constructed)? The Council here charge for registering a new postal address. Any potential pitfalls registering a new address (as opposed to "Land rear of no. 00, AB1 2CD")? re council tax, eventual VAT reclaim? Trying to achieve: 1) Electric supply to site that can eventually supply the new house 2) SMETS2 meter for the new house (unsure if that can be installed at the construction stage, before the installation of a meter box in the eventual new house) 3) Avoidance of any complications re council tax, VAT reclaim etc What would you do? PS Govt guidance: "It is important that all domestic new build properties are registered on the Post Office database before any meter installs are carried out, to ensure that the WAN status is known."

How close to existing foundations can a trench safely be? (water supply duct, assume 1m deep trench and 1m deep existing foundations) Problem for the foundations?

More specifically, option 1: install foul drainage at end, after scaffolding down. New trench. Only temporary electrics and water connected at start option 2: install foul drainage & ducts for utilities at start, same trench Not sure what to choose

Commencement in 5 weeks. Electrics, water, gas suppliers all lined up and paid. Utilities all will come in from public highway. Electric meter position agreed with supplier Can't work out 1) Sequence of steps so that not too much money is wasted on getting the utilities and foul drainage in place. Assume ignorance on my part. 2) Route of ducting What would you do? PS There will be a pumping chamber for new dwelling foul drainage, probably at the corner of the existing dwelling rear garden Builder needs electrics and water. He will use a lot of the back garden of the existing dwelling as his working space

Got advice from a gardening expert: "should be ok if only one side of the hedge has a trench dug it should recover regrowing the roots. ... its important to use the same soil thats dug out then refilling the trench as it will contain the fungi in the soil which will reconnect with the roots. adding some potting compost will help maintain the moisture in the soil, plus adding a leaky hose along the base of the hedge will help to water the hedge also thin out the top of the hedge, in effect removing some of the foliage to reduce water loss until the roots regrow" Might still look for an alternative position for the trench

2m tall hedge. Trench will be backfilled with soil

If a trench is dug within 0.4m of an established beech hedge, is the hedge likely to survive?

This was my understanding too. Hence the question Have full plans, AI candidate has seen them. Can that AI approve the full plans?

Can a private inspector approve a Full Plans BR application?

What facing would you put on the plinth of a cast stone-fronted house? Stone? Other? Apart from needing to look good, does the facing have any function?

Thanks!

Relying on architect CML certificate in the first instance

May I ask which firm?

Trying to decide between private inspector and Wiltshire LABC. Anyone had particularly good or bad experiences with Wiltshire LABC, recently?

For various reasons inner leaf of cavity wall will be Durox supabloc7. Thin joint mortar is one option. What alternative mortars can be used, if thin joint mortar proves hard to find?

For various reasons inner leaf of cavity wall will be Durox supabloc7. Thin joint mortar is one option. What alternative mortars can be used, if thin joint mortar proves hard to find?

100 sqm roof area. uPVC rainwater goods. Soakaway. From downpipe to soakaway, given leaf filter and silt trap, will 63mm black MDPE buried pipe suffice to carry the rainwater to the soakaway?

Quote text attached Quote electricity connection.pdf

Underfloor heating, gas fired boiler. Only 3 first floor bathrooms will have electric UFH. Only asked for 3 phase on the off chance that it was not much more costly than single phase. And thinking it would future proof the house for electrical vehicle charging. Silly to pay £10k for that, though. There is an arrow marked 11kV pointing to a spot within our property. What could that be? Just noticed that 185 x 3C Al goes right past the front of the property, in the public footpath. The quoter had mentioned ECCR (where a second comer connects to supply cable paid for by a previous customer). The quoter was probably thinking that 3 phase could be supplied to us from that 185 x 3C Al. We would then have to pay some ECCR charge in addition to whatever the SSE quote was. Only subsequently did the quoter write to say we would have to go to the corner (50m distance) to get 3 phase, and ECCR would now not apply. Is it worth asking for a quote with ECCR using that 185 x 3C?